Write about what is difficult to talk about
Addiction, Literature and Writing – A Seminar and Writing Retreat in Lucerne, Switzerland, and Viitasaari, Finland
What does addiction do to a person, their relationships, and the way they see themselves? How can we talk and write about shame, secrets, and difficult experiences? And what can literature help us reach in human experience that research or therapy alone cannot fully capture?
You are warmly invited to explore the questions surrounding addiction, literature, and writing in a unique way. This event brings together research-based knowledge, the perspectives offered by literature, and opportunities for personal creative writing. First, we will pause to discuss difficult topics together. Then, we will explore them through literature, and finally, we will make space for our own writing.
The seminar and writing retreat will be led by author Nina Honkanen and Pia Rendic-Züst, a minister, researcher, and therapist. The seminar and writing retreat will be held in Finnish.
1. Open Seminar – What Can We Understand About Addiction?
Lucerne, Hotel Hermitage | 23 January 2027, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
This seminar, open to everyone, brings together perspectives from research, therapy, and literature to explore addiction. We will examine addiction not only as a phenomenon, but also as a lived human experience: What happens beneath the surface? What remains unspoken? And how do difficult experiences shape our identity and relationships?
The seminar will explore the following themes:
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What is addiction, and what do we know about it?
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Shame, secrets, and the silence that surrounds addiction
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Pornography and sex addiction from the perspectives of research and therapy
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Addiction as a subject in literature and creative writing
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What can literature reveal that research cannot?
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Can we write about addiction without reducing a person to a diagnosis?
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Where are the ethical boundaries for authors, researchers, and therapists?
The seminar is open to anyone interested in these topics. You are welcome to attend whether you are a writer, a professional, a student, or simply someone interested in the human condition and its contradictions. Fee: €150, including morning coffee and lunch.
2. Writing Retreat – Write About What Is Difficult to Talk About
Lucerne, Hotel Hermitage | 22–24 January 2027
The writing retreat begins on Friday, 22 January, at 5:00 p.m. The seminar is included in the retreat fee.
During the retreat, we will move from knowledge and discussion to our own writing. You can explore themes related to addiction, shame, secrets, or relationships, or write about something else that matters to you. The aim is to discover your own perspective and develop the tools to express your story. What makes this retreat special is the meeting of two distinct approaches to writing and two areas of expertise: fiction writing and non-fiction writing.
Fiction Writing with Nina Honkanen
How does an experience become a story? How are characters developed? What creates conflict, and how can a difficult subject be transformed into literature?
The sessions will focus on the following questions:
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Character, point of view, and drama
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Creating conflict and tension
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Transforming real-life experiences into literature
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Shame, secrets, and writing about difficult subjects
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Novel structure and narrative techniques
Non-Fiction Writing with Pia Rendic-Züst
How can research findings be transformed into writing that engages readers, moves them, and deepens their understanding? How can experts find their own voice and write about difficult subjects with both precision and vitality?
The sessions will explore the following themes:
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From an idea to a non-fiction book
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Turning research findings into engaging prose
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Finding your voice as an expert
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Sources, research evidence, and credibility
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Writing about difficult subjects
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The ethics of non-fiction writing
Time for Your Own Writing
The retreat is not limited to teaching sessions. The programme includes plenty of dedicated time for your own writing, small-group work, and opportunities to receive individual feedback on your texts.
Who Is This Event For?
This event is for anyone interested in literature, writing, and the human condition. No previous writing experience is required. During the retreat, you can develop an existing manuscript, explore a new subject, or simply experiment with what you would like to explore through writing.
Retreat fee: €950, including two nights’ accommodation in a beautiful four-star hotel, a generous breakfast each morning, coffee, daily lunch and dinner, the seminar programme, and all retreat workshops.
A similar event will be held in Viitasaari, Finland, on 10–12 September 2027!
The fee for the seminar in Finland is €100, and the writing retreat costs €500.
Seminar Leaders
The seminar and writing retreat will be led by author Nina Honkanen and Pia Rendic-Züst, a pastor, researcher, and therapist.
In her recently published novel Rajat/On, Nina Honkanen explores the journey from darkness to light undertaken by a man struggling with multiple forms of addiction and his therapist. Pia Rendic-Züst, meanwhile, specialises in the treatment of sex and pornography addiction and has written several non-fiction books on subjects that are often left unspoken.
Contact & Registration
You can register for the seminar or the writing retreat by sending an email! We will send an invoice separately after registeration.